


Unstoppable

by coconutkid



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, All Platonic - Freeform, And capture, Angst, Aurors, Basically the story of Graves and his captivity, Character-y, Duelling, Kidnapping, MACUSA, No real romance but possibly later, Percival's captivity, Percy :(, Political Negotiations, Starting from Graves's time in Europe, Tina and Graves, Torture, With some other stuff going on also, but with plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-23
Updated: 2016-12-23
Packaged: 2018-09-11 08:39:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8972374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coconutkid/pseuds/coconutkid
Summary: Percival Graves is, without a doubt, one of the best wizards of his time and an excellent Director of Magical Security. Everything changes on one trip to Europe.The full-ish story of the capture and impersonation of Percival Graves, and the aftermath because this man has been through hell and back.





	1. The Night Of

Percival Graves was still at the Ministry of Magic. His team of aurors and security detail which usually stood at his side he had dismissed hours ago, ordering them to get some rest back at the hotel. He however, sent by President Picquery to investigate and being the sole representative of the American wizarding community, stayed put, along with a small security detail, looking ready to leave. 

He had a growing suspicion that some of his aurors had found their way to the nearest bar instead of their hotel. He would have to deal with that in the morning.

Percival leaned forward in his leather armchair, running his hand through his sleek dark hair. This round of talks was nearing an end, the British Minister of Security shaking hands with the surrounding bureaucrats. It had all been for nothing. They were no closer to any leads on the Grindelwald situation. In fact, every meeting, review, and interrogation Percival had conducted since arriving in Europe had turned out to be a waste of time.

Shrugging on his long black coat, Percival headed for the door. He heard several calls of "Goodnight, Director!" as he walked through the halls, answering back a simple "Goodnight." on his way out into the cold London air.

Percival had another meeting. This meeting, however, was with a source he had contacted, an ordinary wizard, who claimed to have witnessed one of Grindelwald's attacks in Bulgaria. There was a part of his mind that called to him, a nagging suspicion. Why had this man insisted on meeting so late? It was strange, to be sure, but it was the only lead Percival had found in a long time. Besides, Percival could handle himself. He was, of course, a trained auror, and one of the best at that. Perhaps a little overconfident at times, as evidenced by his "unnecessary" (as the President had dubbed it many times) use of wandless magic. He thought of the time Madame President had kicked him out of a security briefing when he kept using his hands to show her a map of Europe and cast simple charms. "You have a beautiful wand, Graves, it's a shame you never use it!" she had said, clearly irritated. They spent almost an hour after work debating the pros and cons of wandless magic over whiskey in her office, with Percival finally backing down. She was the President, after all.

Percival almost smiled at the memory. Seraphina was one of the few people he felt knew him. He had known her since their first days in Ilvermony, and they had been equals in competition throughout their school days, the top duellers in their class, both recruited straight out of senior year by MACUSA to be aurors. Seraphina drifted towards politics, while Percival climbed the ranks to his current position as Director of Magical Security. When Seraphina was elected as President, he was the first to leave a bottle of champagne with a congratulatory note on her desk.

"Sir?" an auror behind him snapped him back to the present. He whipped around, "Right, let's go on the count of three. Stevenson, you're on No-maj duties."

Percival Apparated to the park, with the aurors following close behind.

It was dark, with the crude No-maj streetlamps giving off a faded yellow glow, barely illuminating a foot in front of him. Percival cautiously continued down the path, his shiny black shoes crunching leaves underfoot. There was no one in sight, nobody called out or made any movement. Percival understood a contact wanting anonymity, but every one of his carefully honed senses was calling out to him that something did not seem right. "Wands out. And some light please. " He reached for his own wand, his fingers resting on the slick ebony. Percival was confident in his impressive wandless magic skill, but he had to give it to Seraphina, sometimes a wand was the wiser choice.

It was utterly without warning. From behind. A flash of light, and before Percival could whip around, lightning-fast, every one of his aurors was on the ground. The shock barely registered, not even a millisecond passed before he felt it.

Electricty. Searing pain traveling up and down his body, making him collapse on the cobblestone path. It was from behind, the shock sending tremors through his system.

All his expertise, all his auror training, all his raw power were of no use. The surprise attack brought Percival to his knees in seconds. He was alone, the bodies of his aurors surrounding. Stunned, only a loop of _get up, get up, get up, fight back _replaying in his head. He didn't know how. All he knew was that he needed to arrest the attacker, immediately.__

___Get up, fight back. ____ _

____Percival struggled to point his wand in the air, his arm shaking from the Cruciatus curse and the shock. It was useless. He fired off spells in any direction he could, his usual accuracy gone with the shock and panic descending on him._ _ _ _

____Then, streaking out of the darkness, another. Percival screamed, writhing on the ground, feeling the electricity shoot through his body. There was no doubt in his mind that this was a powerful wizard. Certainly as skilled as Percival, maybe even more so. There were not many in the world who were more skilled than Percival, unless the attacker was--unless it really was _him _, the man he'd been hunting down for months. Unless it was Grindelwald.___ _ _ _

______At this thought Graves's limbs went cold, and a hint of fear wound its way into his heart. No one could ever say Percival was a coward. In fact, he was commended for fighing bravely in the Great War and in his daily capacity as Director. And he intended to fight bravely now, although he struggled to raise his wand again._ _ _ _ _ _

_______Get up. Fight. Fight. ____ _ _ _ _ _

________Lying in a heap in the middle of a No-maj park, Percival slowly, agonizingly lifted himself up, taking advantage of the sudden ceasefire. He knew in his ingrained memory of auror protocol that it was quite possibly the worst choice given the situation, but his mind, still stunned, could not control the impulse to stand up and face his attacker._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He had to do his job._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Percival stood up almost completely, leaning on a park bench with one arm while holding up his wand, trembling, with the other. He managed to shoot off a weak, frazzled hex in his attacker's general direction. Without any warning, a blunt force knocked him unceremoniously back down to the ground and he felt his wand fly roughly out of his hands._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Then, a voice called out from the dark, a voice he had heard a million times before, in various recordings and interrogation tapes. He heard a cruel chuckle. "I think that's quite enough for tonight, Director."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	2. Grindelwald

That voice. It sent adrenaline running through his veins, making him shiver slightly. This was not just any powerful wizard; this was Grindelwald. The man Percival and the entire international wizarding community had been working tirelessly to stop. And he was only a few feet in front of him. It was agonizing. Percival could have done it, he could have arrested Grindelwald just like that, if only he had been more prepared. He could have saved his aurors' lives. Now he could hear footsteps approaching at a leisurely pace, a pair of black shoes crushing leaves underfoot. Immediately Percival raised his arm, trying desperately to cast some sort of defensive spell. It was, of course, unsuccessful. In his weakened position, body still wracked from the curses, all Percival could do was lie there and wait for the slowly approaching dark wizard.

The footsteps stopped and Percival looked up to see one of the most powerful, darkest wizards of all time staring down at him, vaguely amused. He was studying him with a hint of a smirk on his face, scanning up and down Percival's body. Graves was twitching, the potent curses still sending aftershocks through him. He lay in a heap on the ground, his usually impeccable coat and clean white shirt were ripped and singed by the onslaught of spells flung at him. Leaves and dirt clung to his person, and his slicked hair had fallen out of place, black tendrils falling over his sweat-stained face. He closed his eyes, squeezing them shut and trying to force himself to think of a plan. As it turned out, he could not move, couldn't even roll onto his side away from the other wizard's gaze. The impulse to fight black, stand up, attack was overwhelming but there was simply no way. Especially now, with Grindelwald standing directly over him.

"Not bad, Mr. Graves, but I would have expected more from one of MACUSA's best."

Yes, the fight had been anticlimactic. A strike from behind, the element of surprise. Coward, Percival thought. Indeed, all things being equal he would have had a chance, he likely could have arrested Grindelwald, brought him to justice. Humiliation boiled in the pit of his stomach as Percival replayed his mistakes in his head. Grindelwald had slipped through his fingers. He should have been more prepared. It was his fault that his aurors had died. It was his fault. It was his fault.

Grindelwald let out a tiny smirk. "Percival Graves. Director of Magical Security, son of the illustrious Graves family. President's right-hand man." He inspected Percival's wand, absentmindedly twirling the sleek ebony between his fingertips.

The formerly impressive Director was lying on the ground, unable to do anything against the dark wizard but glare up at him. He tried to speak, but the effort was too great. Instead, his authoritative stare seemed to silently communicate to Grindelwald promises of retribution.

Grindelwald's eyes were shining, black with cruelty and intention. He started right back.

"Quite a disappointing variety in spells for such an industrious man. Perhaps a bit slow on the reaction time too, hmm?" Grindelwald tapped Graves's wand against his chin. He used it to gesture to the bodies of Percival's aurors, laid out in the frostbitten leaves. "I hope you don't mind receiving some constructive criticism. Overall, I would say, an impressive dueller, Mr. Graves."

Then, abruptly: "Of course, I know you're a powerful man, Director." Grindelwald said, circling around Percival's strewn out body. "I've made an excellent choice, don't you think?" Percival didn't know what Grindelwald wanted, but he recognized the situation he was in. Percival was an incredibly powerful person in the American wizarding community, lying at the feet of a madman craving power. He started to struggle, surprised at his newfound energy, fear, guilt and anger raging inside.

Grindelwald just watched him. He crouched next to the body squirming noiselessly on the ground, and lazily pointed his wand in the Director's face. Percival froze, staring at the dark wizard's wand, and Grindelwald laughed.

"Ah, so now you realize your position. I win, Mr. Graves." With that, Grindelwald stood up and brushed himself off, his wand still trained directly at Percival. "Crucio" he said simply. It wasn't long before Percival lost consciousness, his body trembling and crackling with the curse. Grindelwald smiled. He yanked Percival up and they Disapparated, leaving the bodies of aurors strewn over the park for Grindelwald's supporters to dispose of.


End file.
